TARA is the Buddhist Goddess of compassion. She is said to have been born from the tears of Avalokiteshvara, the Lord of the World. He was looking down from heaven at all the people suffering in the world and he wept to see their pain. From his tears there emerged two Goddesses, the peaceful White Tara and the fierce Green Tara. White Tara represents the day and calm serenity; Green Tara represents the night and helpful activity.

Green Tara is depicted seated on a lotus, but with one leg outstretched and ready for action. She holds blue lotuses, symbols of purity, and she is adorned with jewels. She is a savior Goddess, called on by followers to overcome fears and dangers. White Tara also sits on a lotus, but she is at rest. She is often shown with seven eyes--the usual two, one on her forehead, and one on each of her hands and feet. White Tara is called on to help followers overcome obstacles.

Aside from green and white, other forms of Tara are seen as red (associated with magnetism), black (associated with power), yellow (associated with abundance and generosity), or blue (associated with protection). In Tibetan Buddhism, where Tara is most venerated, she has 21 forms in various colors, as follows:

oGreen Tara, the source of all Taras

oThe Tara who averts disasters (white)

oThe Tara who averts earth-born calamities (blue)

oThe Tara who bestows prosperity (yellow)

oThe Tara who fulfills wishes (green)

oThe Tara who bestows longevity (white)

oThe Tara who averts the evil effects of poison (white)

oThe Tara who averts destruction wrought by fire (yellow)

oThe Tara who averts destruction wrought by water (red)

oThe Tara who averts evil caused by wild beasts (blue)

oThe Tara who averts evil affecting cattle (red)

oThe Tara who averts evil caused by demons (blue)

oThe Tara who increases power (red)

oThe Tara who increases wisdom (yellow)

oThe Tara who averts hell-born calamities (red)

oThe Tara who averts destruction caused by wind (white)

oThe Tara who averts evil caused by robbers (blue)

oThe Tara who averts destruction caused by armies (blue)

oThe Tara who averts heaven-born calamities (green)

oThe Tara who subdues demons (blue)

oThe Tara who heals sickness (green)

Tara's name means "to cross over," and other names and epithets for her include:

"GYHLDEPTIS" IS THE KINDLY GODDESS OF THE COASTAL FOREST; HER NAME MEANS "LADY HANGING HAIR "WHICH IS SYMBOLIC OF THE LONG HANGING BRANCHES OF THE GREAT CEDARS OF THE RAIN FOREST OF WHICH SHE IS USUALLY REPRESENTED. SHE IS HONORED BY BOTH THE TLINGIT AND HAIDA PEOPLES OF NORTHWESTERN AMERICA. SHE IS THE PROTECTOR OF INDIANS AND OTHER HUMANS; SHE IS THE SPIRIT OF THE TREES.

WHEN A WHIRLPOOL THREATENED THE DESTRUCTION OF HER PEOPLE, GYHLDEPTIS CALLED FORTH ALL OF THE ELEMENTS--THE SPIRITS OF THE WIND, THE ICE, AND THE FOREST FIRE--AND SYNTHESIZED THEM INTO ONE ENERGY TO WORK WITHIN HER. BY MAGICALLY FEEDING THEM IN HER UNDERWATER FESTIVAL HOUSE, SHE CONVINCED THE FORCES THAT HUMANS NEEDED MORE PROTECTION. THEREUPON, ALL THE WELL-FED NATURAL POWERS SET TO WORK REARRANGING THE COAST SO THAT THE WHIRLPOOL WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A GENTLE RIVER, NOURISHING THE LAND AND HUMANITY.

IT IS GYHLDEPTIS WHO TEACHES US THAT WE MUST FOCUS OUR ENERGY, OUR LIFE FORCE FOR WE CAN ONLY ACHIEVE WHOLENESS WHEN ALL THE PARTS ARE HONORED AND LISTENED TO.